#filtered

In August, 2024 I was asked to participate in the Roadmaps Art Gallery at the Elgin History Museum, sponsored by Side Street Studio Arts in Elgin.

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ARTIST STATEMENT

In an age where places can be captured, tagged and shared in an instant, Nick finds himself both drawn to and conflicted by the role social media plays in shaping our experiences of the world.

As a photographer, he's captivated by the beauty and uniqueness of the places he visits. He's also aware of how this beauty can be diminished by the sheer volume of images we consume daily. This exhibit explores the tension between the allure of sharing the subtle erosion of wonder that occurs when a place becomes overly familiar.

Using Instagram not just as a platform, but as a medium, Nick transforms various travel photographs, ranging from iconic landmarks to private personal spaces, into reflections of this phenomenon. Each image is uploaded to Instagram several times based on the volume of hashtags associated with each location. Through this process, Instagram's compression algorithms gradually sap away the image's clarity and vibrancy - mirroring how repeated exposure to the same views can dull our sense of awe.

The most popular locations experience the greatest degree of digital decay, just as they do in the real world, where endless streams of similar images can render even the most extraordinary places ordinary. The challenge lies in finding something new in a landscape that often feels overexposed and in seeking out those rare unspoiled views that remain off the beaten path.

This exhibit explores the journey of navigating a world where discovery and desensitization are often just a few clicks apart.